Thursday, October 14, 2004

Merric's Top 5 miniatures of Aberrations

I play the miniature game primarily for fun and also use the miniatures for role-playing. I also haven't even seen any of the Aberrations miniatures yet, let alone played with them, so this is going to be a fairly uninformed look at the miniatures I consider the top 5 in the set.

#5: Ethereal Filcher
One of the things that I enjoy in games is the ability to do something unexpected or to change how the game is played. Although, in D&D Miniatures, all of the abilities of the figures are known at the start of the game, the Filcher can be a real pest to the warband that relies on humanoid figures that have multiple high-damage attacks. When combined with Aramil, it also does a fair job of neutering the Orc Champion.

The way it works - getting into melee range and then eliminating itself to activate the ability - is something surprising and a testament to the skills of the DDM design and development teams. This is a figure that can change the metagame, especially since it only works against humanoids and monstrous humanoids. Perhaps some stranger creatures will find themselves pushed to prominence?

#4: Dragon Samurai
For all the worry about this figure being overcosted, I just look at the 80 HP, 24 AC and the potential of 45 damage per round - although it must worry about the Filcher and Aramil! Lawful Good has a dearth of figures that deal a significant amount of damage, which has always been a problem when stacked up against that Orc Champion and other significant CE figures. This begins to redress the balance.

#3: Hook Horror
The Hook Horror has been one of my favourite monsters since his first appearance in the Fiend Folio back in the days of Advanced Dungeons & Dragons. It almost makes the cut based on that alone. Otherwise, it makes the grade much for the same reason the Dragon Samurai does - a strong melee figure for a faction that hasn't had all that many in that vein.

What also makes it in my top 5 is that new ability: Feast. It's not going to happen too often if a Human Blackguard is along for the ride, but I think that it's an excellent addition to the game's mechanics.

#2: Frenzied Berserker
Like the Hook Horror and the Dragon Samurai, this figure provides a faction that has been weak on the melee side of things a figure that is capable of really dishing it out - and of taking it, regardless of the Burnout disadvantage.

It is expensive, though, and not without its drawbacks. In the end, it is eclipsed by my #1 pick for the set...

#1: Half-Elf Bow Initiate
30 points of potential ranged damage a turn is significant. This figure, as with many of CG's figures, requires a lot of skill to use effectively. Back during my first 3E rpg campaign, the main character was a human archer named Starlin Farr - he attained the 14th level of experience, and was gaining levels in the Order of the Bow Initiate prestige class when his player moved away. Since that time, I've always had a soft spot for that prestige class. The HEBI moves it into the miniature game.

Significantly, this figure actually has a few hit points of its own. It will still need solid melee figures to protect it, but I'm extremely glad to see CG finally gaining some effective ranged attacks.

Conclusions

Well, that's my personal and extremely preliminary views of what the five most significant figures of Aberrations are. There are many other excellent figures in the set, and I look forward to getting my hands on them and using them against my friends.